Manufacture of gas



3 SheetsSheet 1.

(No Model.)

J. M. ROSE. A MANUFAGTURB OF GAS. No. 408,535. Patented Aug. 6, 1889.

area/61111 9 N. PETERS. PhnloLilhogmaher. Waahinglcn. n a

(N6 Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 2. J. M. ROSE.- -MANUFAGTURB OF GAS.

Patented Aug. 6, 1889.

UNiTEn STATES PATENT FFICE.

JAMEs M. Been, on ALLEGHENY, PENNSYLVANIA.

MANUFACTURE OF GAS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 408,535, dated August6, 1889. Application filed October 16, 1888.? Serial No. 288,286. (Nomodel.)

and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement inthe 'Manufacture of Gas; and I do hereby declare the fol lowing to be afull, clear, and eXact description thereof."

My invention relates to the manufacture f gas, and especially to themanufacture "of a fine quality of fuel 'or heating gas, its objectsbeing to utilize the products of combustion employed in generating thesteam as a basis for'the manufacture of the gas by thefurther treatmentof such products and to increase the proportion of carbon in gasesgenerated from hydrocarbonaceous materials.

To these ends my invention consists, generally stated, in admitting alimited quantity of air to a body of heated hydrocarbons, and therebycausing the oxygen of the air to unite with the hydrogen of the heatedhydrocarbon and setting free the carbon thereof to mix or unite togetherwith gases passing through the heated hydrocarbons, thereby enrichingthe said. gases in carbon, my inven' tion being preferably employed inconnection with the manufacture of generator or producer gases andduring the enriching of the same by the addition of such hydrocarbons,and acting to increase the proportion of carbon in the gases obtained.

It also consists in commingling with the generator or producer gasheated waste products, such as formed in burning carbonaceous materialsto heat a body of water and generate steam, and then reearburizing suchwaste products.

To enable others skilled in the art to practice my invention, I willdescribe the same more fully, referring to the accompanying drawings, inwhich- Figure 1 is a side view, partly broken away, of the apparatusemployed in practicing my invention. Fig. 2 is a top or plan view of thesame; and Fig. 8 is a cross-section on the line :1: as, Fig. 1.

My invention may be practiced in any apparatus suitable for the purpose,and the apparatus shown herewith is simply described as one well adaptedto produce the desired results.

Before describing the manner of practicing my invention I will describethe said apparatus, so that the improvements herein claimed may be moreclearly understood. The main portion of said apparatus consists of thetwo gas generators or chambers a b, which are set side by side, thesetwo generators supporting the treating-chamber 0, containing the twocompartments (Z c, and the gasgenerator a communicating through the portor flue d with the compartment (Z of said treating'chamber, and thegas-generator b communicaning with the compartment e thereof through theflue 6', while said compartments cl 6 communicate at the upper end ofthe treating-chamber through the port d Each generatoris provided withgrate-bars a and with suitable charging-doors a and discharging orcleaning doors a for removing the clinkers and ashes, and each chamberis provided with a safety-valve D which is weighted to sustain aconsiderable pressure, as a high pressure is generally maintained withinthe apparatus.

The chamber a has the air-supply pipe a communicating with the basethereof, and the generator I) has a like pipe 12, these pipes beingcontrolled by suit-able valves and leading from suitable blast apparatusby which a high pressure is maintained, said chambers having also thesteam-supply pipes of 11 communicating with the bases thereof,respectively, for the purpose hereinafter described. Leading from thesaid generator a, just above the grate-bars thereof, is the gas-eductionpipe f, while leading from the chamber 1) is the gas educt-ion pipe g,said pipes f g each communicating with the heating-chamber h, throughwhich the gases formed pass on the way to the hydraulic main in or tothe storage-tank. The casings for the said generators a b are made ofthick plate metal, so as to properly withstand the pressure generatedwithin the apparatus, and also to sustain the weight of thetreating-chamber c, which rests directly upon said generators a b and issupported thereby. The treatingchamber 0 has, as above set forth; twocompartments (Z 6, each compartment having the perforated arch c" andhaving doors 0 c c, the doors 0 and 0 being used for filling andremoving the refractory materials employed therein for treating thegasessuch as fireclay balls, checker-work or irregular pieces offire-brick, dolomite, limestone, or hardburned coke, such materialsresting upon the perforated arches cand the door 0 being used forexamining and repairing the portion of the chamber under the perforatedarches c. In said compartment 61 of the treatingchamber and under theperforated arch is the air-supply pipe 1', and in the same part of thecompartment 6 is the air-supply pipe 7, these pipes leading from theair-blast apparatus, before referred to, and being controlled bysuitable valves. In the upper parts of said compartments d e are thesteam and hydrocarbon injectors d e", respectively, for the introductionof steam and a suitable liquid hydrocarbon such as coal-tar, asphalt,Lima oil, or like materials. The said treatingehamber c is also providedwith the Weighted relief or safety valve 0", which may lead up from theport (Z between said chambers d c, and so provides a means of relievingboth said chambers.

Placed in front of the gas-generators in the apparatus above describedis the steam-generatorm, which can be of any desired construction,though a suitable vertical steam boiler or generator is preferred forthe purpose, and this generator is provided with a suitable fire-chamberm, and its chimney-flue m leads by suitable branch pipes 11 0 to theupper part of the gas-generators a Z), respectively, said branch pipesbeing controlled by the valves n 0, and so directing the passage of theproducts of combustion from said chimney-flue into either gas-generatora or I), as desired. The generator has also the escape-flue 921. whichcan be controlled by suitable damper or valve to permit the directescape of the products of combustion, and, if desired, a suitablerelief-valve m can be arranged either on said escape-pipe m or in thechimney-flue m Leading into the pipes 12 0, respectively, at about thepoint where they enter the gas-generators a b, are the steam-supplypipes 72 0 which act as injectors to carry the products of combustioninto the gas-generators, and also supply a portion of steam to the upperpart of .the gas-generators, as is desirable in the gas-makingoperation. The heating-chamber h is formed of a long plate-metalcylinder supported upon suitable foundation h and lined with fire-brick,as are all the other exposed portions of the apparatus, and theeduction-pipes f g communicate with the base of this heating-chamber,said pipes being controlled by the valves f g and carrying the gasesformed in the apparatus into the base of said chamber. Arranged withinthis heating-chamber in suitable coil or return pipe form, as may befound best suited for the purpose, are the air-superheating pipes 13 andthe steam-superheating pipes a, the said pipes having suitableconnections with the air-blast apparatus and with the steam-generator,so that the air and steam passing through them are raised to a high heatbefore they are employed in gas-making, and at the same time a largeportion of the heat of the gas generated in the apparatus is absorbedand carried back into the apparatus, so acting to save the heat andreduce the temperature of the gases after they are fixed or rendered stable, and before they enter the hydraulic main or Washing apparatus 7; orthe storage-tank. Leading from the upper end of said heatingchamber h isthe pipe 3, which communicates with the hydraulic main 7c, the mainreceiving the gases as they pass from the gas-generating apparatus andwashing them and removing certain impurities or volatile mattertherefrom, and the gases passing by the pipe it to the storage-tank.

In practicing my invention in the apparatus as above described thecompartments (Z c of the treating-chamber c are filled with suitablerefractory materialsuch as fire-clay balls of a few inches in diameter,checkerwork, or dolomite, or limestone in irregular pieces, thefire-clay balls being preferred on account of the ease with which theycan be removedand these materials are preferably coated prior to placingthem in, said chamber with a heavyhydrocarbonsuch as coal-tar orasphaltthe said chambers being filled from the perforated arches upabout to the port d The gas-generators a Z) are filled with coal orcoke, and a suitable supply of liquid hydroearbonsuch as coal-tar inliquid form or Lima oil-is placed inthe tanks leading to the injectors de. The apparatus being so arranged, fire is started in thesteamgenerator 012- and the gas-generators a, I), and the valvecontrolling the escape-pipe m of the steam-generator and therelief-valves b of the gas-generators and c of the treatingchamber areopened, so that the products of combustion from said steam-generator andgas-generator can have a free escape and will act gradually to heat thematerials therein. As soon as a sufficient supply of steam has beengenerated the air-blast apparatus is started and the air-blastingapplied to the steam-generator and to the gas-generators, this beingcontinued until the apparatus is brought to a proper heat for gas-making, the body of coal or coke in the gas-generators being raised to a highheat, and the refractory material in the treating-chamber 0 being alsohighly heated. \Vhen the apparatus is ready for gas-making, therelief-valves are all closed, the Valve it between the steam-generatorand gas-generator a and the valve g in eductionpipe g are opened, andthe valves controlling the air-blast pipe to, steam-pipe at,steam-injectors d 6 and air-blast pipe m are opened, all other valvesremaining closed. ducts of combustion from the fuel consumed The prointhe steam generator m then pass through the pipes or fines m 'n, intothe gas-generator a, the current thereof being induced by thesteam-jetthroughthe pipe 92 these heated Y set forth, and as said gasespass upwardly through said chamber steam and liquid hydrocarbon areadmitted to the same through the steam-injectors d or 6 or both, sosupplying to said gases a body of steam and liquid hydrocarbon. \Vhere,however, the body of refractory material through which the gases pass iscoated, as above set forth, a heavy hydrocarbon from which the gases canabsorb the volatile matter is provided even without the introduction ofthe liquid hydrocarbon, and if desired a pulverized coal-dust or asphaltor other suitable solid heavy hydrocarbon can be injected within saidchamber, so as to provide the necessary hydrocarbon to said gases. Asthe air passesup through said body of coal or coke in the generator itis evident that on account of the excess of carbon therein all theoxygen of the air is taken up by the carbon, and consequently little orno free oxygen passes upwardly with the gases, and as the gases passthrough or in the presence of said hydrocarbon'introduced in any of theways above set forth it is evident that they would naturally take uptherefrom the light hydrocarbon gases, the

proportion of carbon'in said gases being regulated by the proportion ofcarbon contained in the generator-gas and in the gases volatilizedthereby from the hydrocarbon introduced. It is desirable, however, toincrease the proportion of carbon in said gases and en rich them incarbon, the necessity of an in crease in the proportion of carbon beingthe more important because the products of combustion passing from thesteam-generator into the upper part of the gas-generator a are com posedto a large extent of carbonic-acid gas, and it is desirable to increasethe proportion of carbon to enrich such gases and by causing them totake up a further portion of carbon convert them into carbonic oxide.For these purposes just below the-perforated arch I admit through theair-blast pipe t' alimited quantity of air to produce a light combustionof the hydrocarbonaceous materials within the treating-chamber.

pecially that supported upon the refractory material, and as the airenters said chamber,

As the hydrocarbona-. ceous material in said chamber is heated,.es-

the hydrogen of the hydrocarbons, having undersuch conditions a greaterattraction for the oxygen of the air than has the carbon, will take upthe greater portion of the oxygen to the exclusion of the carbon, theheated hydrocarbons being thus separated, a rich carbon gas or vapor ofgreat density being formed by the carbon thus set free, which carbon inpassing upwardly with the other gases unites with the carbonic acid orother gases having an affinity therefor or passes through thetreating-chamber with the mass of gases to enrich them in carbon. Inorder that this may be more clearly understood, the followingexplanation is given: Though Where steam passes into the presence of aheated carbon .(such as in forming watergas) the carbon has a greateraffinity for the oxygen than has the hydrogen, yet where oxygen and ahydrocarbon are brought together the hydrogen has a greater affinity forthe oxygen than has the carbon at that temperature and unites therewith,the resultant products being water-vapor, and the carbon-vapor being setfree, and this reaction generating heat. The steam so formed isconverted into watergas by union with the carbon in passing through theother treating or fixing chambers of the apparatus, and thecarbon-vapor, being raised to a higher heat in passing through saidchambers, unites with the carbonic acidto form carbonic oxide, and alsowith the hydrogen of the steam admitted to said chambers to formhydrocarbon gas. The gases so formed pass upwardly through thecompartment d and downwardly through the compartment 'e of theheating-chamber c, all the air admitted through the pipe '11 being thusconsumed Within said chambers, and by uniting with the hydrogenincreasing the proportion of carbon in the gases, and the gasesgenerated pass downwardly through the body of incandescent carbon in thegenerator Z), the said gases being fixed and rendered stable in saidbody of incandescent carbon, while at the same time any undecomposedsteam is broken up to unite with the gases and any carbonic acid whichmight have passed through the treating-chamber without being convertedinto carbonic oxide is in said mass of incandescent carbon convertedinto carbonic oxide, and thus adds to the body of gases useful forheating purposes. The gases pass outwardly through the eduction-pipe gand rise through the heating-chamber b, where a large portion of theheat of said gases is absorbed by the air and vsteam passing through thepipes within said chamber, and this heat is thus carried back into theapparatus, the gases then passing through the pipe 8 into the hydraulicmain 7c, and after having been washed therein being carried to thestorage-tank through the pipe ta This is continued until the body ofincandescent carbon in the generator b is so. lowered in heat that itwill not properly fix ICC the gases or act to convert the carbonic acidinto carbonic oxide when the valves 01' and g and the valves controllingthe pipes a, 2', and a are closed, the valves 0' and f and the valvescontrolling the pipes b and o are opened, in which case the air passesupwardly through the body of carbon in the generator I) and the productsof combustion from the steam-generator m pass to the upper part of thisgenerator I), being assisted in their flow by the steam-jet from thepipe 0 the products of combustion and gases then passing upwardlythrough the flue e and through the treatin g-ch amber c, rising throughthe compartment 6, and pass downwardly through the compartment (1, andduring their passage a limited quantity of air being admitted throughair-blast pipe I, the gases then passing downwardly through the body ofincandescent carbon in the generator a and escaping through theeduetion-pipe f, and the action of the apparatus being thus reversed, asis found necessary, according to the heat of the bodies of carbon in thegenerators a b, the air-blast through said generators heating the saidbodies of carbon to ineandescence, while the passage of the gasesthrough same for fixing purposes reduces said heat, and the apparatusbeing reversed, as found necessary, to properly treat the gases.

I am thus enabled by my invention to carbonize the gases formed bytaking advantage of the fact that the hydrogen of the hydrocarbons whenheated has a greater affinity for the oxygen than has the carbonthereof, and as both are present, and as the supply of oxygen islimited, the hydrogen takes up the greater portion of the oxygen to theexclusion of a greater part of the carbon, and the hydrocarbons areseparated, a rich carbon vapor or gas of great density passing off withthe other gases, and in so .doing I am enabled not only to enrich thesegases in carbon, but to recarbonize the products of combustion formed ingenerating the body of steam necessary for practicing the invention andto reconvert the said products of combustion into useful gases, and I amalso enabled thereby to set free more rapidly the hydrocarbons employedas a coating for the refractory material in the treating-chamber byproviding a limited quantity of air for union with the hydrogen, andthus freeing the carbon, and in gas-making the more volatile parts ofthe liquid hydrocarbon introduced into the apparatus will be carried offby the gases, while the heavier portions thereof, which serve to coat orrecoat the refractory material, may by my present invention be set free,as above described, and utilized in making gas.

Though the general arrangement of the apparatus above described isconsidered the best in practicing my invention, it is evident that itcan be practiced under any conditions in which the gases are broughtinto the presence of the hydrocarbons, either by spraying or where asolid hydrocarbon or coal-dust is employed, or by the coating of blocksor pieces, which will expose the said hydrocarbon in a heated conditionto the air admitted, and it is also evident that, if desired, myinvention may be employed with the ordinary water-gas process, either inconnection with the manufacture of generator or producer gas, as abovedescribed, or separately therefrom, the steam being admitted to thegenerators through pipes a 11 as shown in the drawings. I am alsoenabled by my invention to utilize the products of combustion from thesteam-generator for gas-making purposes, and this at practically noextra cost, recarbonizing and treating them when in a heated condition,and I so reduce the cost of generating steam to a minimum, and amenabled in some cases to even profit by the gases formed in thegeneration of such steam.

Vhat I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,is-

1. The herein-described process of forming gas, consisting in passingair through a mass of heated carbon and introducing into the gases soformed heated waste products of combustion, (such as formed in burningcarbonaceous materials to heat a body of Water,) then passing such gasesand waste products through or in contact with heated hydrocarbons andadmitting thereto a limited quantity of air, and subsequently passingthe resultant gases through a body of heated fixing material,substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

2. The herein-described process of forming gases, consisting in passingair through a body of incandescent carbon and the resultant gas throughor in the presence of heated hydrocarbon and during such passageadmitting to such gases a limited quantity of air, whereby the oxygenunites with the hydrogen and the carbon is set free to enrich the gas,substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

3. The herein-described process of forming gas, consisting in admittinga limited quantity of air to a body of gases passing through or in thepresence of heated hydrocarbons, whereby the oxygen of the air uniteswith the hydrogen of the hydrocarbon and carbon is set free to enrichthe gases, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

4. The herein-described process of forming gas, consisting in admittinga limited quantity of air to a body of gases passing through or in thepresence of heated hydrocarbons, whereby the oxygen unites with thehydrogen and the carbon is set free to enrich the gases, andsubsequently passing such gases through heated fixing material to renderthem stable, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

5. The herein-described process of forming gas, consisting in passingair through a mass In testimony whereof I, the said JAMES M. ROSE, havehereunto set my hand.

JAMES M. ROSE.

Witnesses:

WM. P. MERCER, BENJ. W. HAINES.

